Welcome to Rappler, a social news network where stories inspire community engagement and digitally fuelled actions for social change. Rappler comes from the root words "rap" (to discuss) + "ripple" (to make waves).

One of these is "Micab," which, unlike Uber, connects passengers to a network of regular taxis as opposed to private vehicles. It was launched in July 2015 in Cebu, later expanding to Iloilo. In about a month and a half, the service will come to Manila, according to Philippine National Taxi Operators (PNTOA) president Bong Suntay in an ABS-CBN article. (READ: Meet Cebu’s answer to foreign transport apps)

The statement matches that of MiCab founder and CEO Eddie Ybanez's, who said that they are still in the "pre-implementation" stage and will be ready "in the coming months." Ybanez's statements came from a Facebook-posted letter (below) addressed to Business Mirror, clarifying the app's availability in Manila. The Business Mirrorarticle that Ybanez sought to clarify was headined "Smartphone app for taxis now in Manila."

The app can now technically be downloaded even if you are in Manila. But as Ybanez said in their letter, the service isn't operational yet in Manila.

Unlike Uber and Grab, Ybanez also says in the letter that they don't have to apply for transport network vehicle service (TNVS) accreditation because they don't service private vehicles. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) defines transport network companies (TNC) as organizations connecting passengers with "drivers using their personal vehicles" in their memorandum.

Would you like to share your vote?

Welcome to Rappler, a social news network where stories inspire community engagement and digitally fuelled actions for social change. Rappler comes from the root words "rap" (to discuss) + "ripple" (to make waves).